ICHŌ Japanese Restaurant — Restaurant in San Juan

Had a Sunday dinner for 4 in Icho. We arrived at around 6:30pm and the place almost full already.

We immediately ordered their Sashimi Sarada, Maguro Tataki, Sashimi Goshu Moro, Shake Sashimi, and Gyoza.

Sashimi Sarada P395.00

The Sashimi Sarada was comfortably good for 2. It came with a piece of shrimp, some thinly sliced Tuna, Salmon, and Lapu Lapu. The sauce was some sort of vinaigrette that complemented everything. I added some wasabi as well and enjoyed it even more.

Maguro Tataki P295.00

The Maguro Tataki was one of my favorites. The seared Tuna was served with cherry tomatoes, lettuce, and garlic chips. This was one of my favorites for the evening.

Shake Sashimi P620.00

The Salmon Sashimi was just devoured by our table. Only slight nitpick was that the wife chewed on a little piece of bone.

Sashimi Goshu Mori P890.00

The 5 kinds of Sashimi included are Salmon, Tuna, Mackarel, Uni, and Lapu lapu. This was also quickly devoured by our table. The only slight nitpick as well was that there was a small piece of scale on the piece of Lapu lapu that I ate.

Gyoza P240.00

For the Gyoza, it was, for lack of a better term, tighly packed with meat inside. I dont usually like Gyoza but I enjoyed their rendition of it.

For our next round of dishes, we ordered a Sea Bass Teriyaki, Tempura, and Yakimeshi.

Sea Bass Teriyaki P850.00

The Sea Bass Teriyaki's sauce had just the right level of sweetness for my taste palate. Texture wise, it was on the soft side but I think I prefer their Gindara Teriyaki.

Tempura P600.00

I believe that this dish is one of their best sellers. It was hard to see a table without their Tempura. It came in 5 fairly large pieces and came with just the right amount of breading. It will be difficult to have a meal here without ordering this. My only suggestion is for the restaurant to offer this at a smaller quantity (2 to 3) as 5 pieces might be too much for a table of 2.

Yakimeshi P160.00

I thoroughly enjoyed their beef fried rice. It paired well with the Tempura and the Sea Bass Teriyaki.

All these were downed while drinking their house tea. I'm far from being a tea expert but I enjoyed the roasted taste of their tea.

All dishes that were supposed to be served hot were served hot. This is always a plus in my book.

The service here was excellent. The staff were very attentive to each table's needs.

All in all, Icho provides an excellent...

The restaurant has nice interiors and Japanese-style tables. They also have a function room and a sushi bar, which adds to the overall appeal.

There were a few standout dishes that really stole the show. First and foremost, the tofu steak was really good. It consisted of tender beef wrapped around tofu, and the tofu had absorbed all the savory flavors of the beef.

Another dish that caught my attention was the Icho Roll. The Hiroshima Kaki Motoyaki was another highlight of the meal. The grilled oysters were incredibly fresh and had a rich, creamy sauce that perfectly complemented their natural brininess.

For seafood lovers, the Maguro Tataki is an absolute must-try. The seared tuna was exquisitely prepared and melted in my mouth. And let's not forget about the Ebi Tempura, which featured big, succulent prawns in a light and crispy batter. It was everything you could want in a tempura dish.

One thing that stood out to me was the excellent service provided by the attentive staff. I assisted by a friendly guard who even held the door for me to prevent it from hitting the stairs. This small gesture made me feel welcomed and valued as a customer.

Overall, Icho Restaurant offers a great dining experience with its pleasing ambiance, delicious food, and attentive service. If you're looking for a place to enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine, this restaurant should be at the top of your list. I highly recommend trying the tofu steak, Icho Roll, Hiroshima Kaki Motoyaki, Maguro Tataki, and Ebi Tempura. Trust me, you won't be...

Food is good. Everything we ordered was tasty. Except the otoro. It was very low quality and hardly had any marbling.

Service is excellent. The server was very attentive.

The place needs some pest control and maybe drainage rehabilitation.

There's a stench near the back entrance. Probably has something to do with inadequate plumbing, drainage, etc. I associate this stench usually with cheap Chinese restaurants. I expected more from a high end Japanese restaurant.

Saw a cockroach crawling on the wall in the private room we were in. At 15k minimum consumption, standards shouldn't be this low. A guy just came in and grabbed it using a tissue when we complained. There was also a puddle forming from the dripping air conditioning unit which the servers continually mopped up. This could really spoil the privacy of diners.

Not sure if the waiters or cashier are well trained. When I used my pwd card, they informed us that we still had to reach 15k. It was above 15k before applying the pwd discount. After discount, we were short around 200-400. Didn't pursue the matter anymore and just ordered additional. This is obviously...